A Shattered Kingdom
by TheyCallMePotataSalad
Summary: The prosperous land of Hyrule has fallen into a dark realm-one without a king and a runaway princess. As the people of Hyrule seek salvation, a man from the forest aided by a mysterious Sheikah named Sedge, sets out to find the missing princess and bring back light to the land.
1. Chapter 1

It had always been foretold that when evil threatened Hyrule, the Gods Chosen Hero would appear and save the land; banishing the evil.

Just as told in the legends, evil seemed to emerge from the edges of the world, seeping it's way eagerly and unmercifully into the once peaceful land of Hyrule. Dark, sinister magic crawled across the green luscious plains, leaving them dead and scarred, barren like the aftermath of a forest fire.

The darkness crept forth, like a quiet quick army, over taking towns and leaving in its wake dark, dead villages where the people succumbed to its dark slumber.

In its darkest hour, Hyrule prayed for the Chosen Hero. But would the hero alone be enough to overcome this dark magic?

* * *

_The sun was blocked out by a cloud of Darkness, its menacing form creeping ever closer to the forest man who stood, his body frozen to the ground. The forest man begged his legs to move, willed them to run as the Darkness came ever closer, but they did not move. The man with the blue eyes watched as the dark cloud came so close, before he could see no more. Everything was black as his lungs burned for air. His mouth opened in a scream, but nothing was heard. _Link jolted awake, his body drenched in sweat as his body was still on edge from the nightmare he had just awoken from. He breathed deeply, calming himself as he lay back down, resting his hands behind his head. This wasn't the first nightmare he had about the Darkness. They had begun recently, horrible nightmares that woke him in the middle of the night drenched in sweat and his heart racing.

He sighed loudly, pushing the matter to the back of his mind. This was the third one that ended the same; him being consumed by the cloud of Darkness. As he rolled over in his bed, his subconscious mind told him this wasn't normal.

* * *

Faron Forest sat on the edge of Hyrule, untouched by the Darkness. It was one of the few places the Darkness had not reached, leaving the tall trees luscious and green.

Link sat on top of the tree, his eyes scanning the horizon for any sign of the Darkness. He just wanted a glimpse of it, a pure look at the real Darkness that everyone in the forest spoke of. None of them had ever seen it, for none of them had ever left the forest. Was it even real? How could something so horrific exist? Sometimes, he wondered if the elders spoke of it just to keep them contained in the forest. The man thought darkly about that, narrowing his eyes as he pictured the elders faces in his mind. Would they really be so cruel to think of something like that to keep the in the forest? Stories so horrible that it gave Link nightmares? The blue eyed man was lost in thought when a voice shouted up to him.

"Hey! Link! Come down from there!" Link sighed, shifting himself so that he could begin his descend. He took one more precious look out over the trees, at the far horizon, hoping to see anything that wasn't green or blue.

"Why do you always climb up there?" Kyanna inquired curiously, her bright brown eyes gleaming. Link jumped to the ground, landing on his feet with a soft thud. The strawberry blond smiled meekly at the girl, a sort of half smile that welcomed her.

"Just sightseeing," Link replied simply with a shrug of his shoulders.

"You do that a lot," Kyanna giggled, "I was wondering if you wanted to go into the Forbidden Woods." Link's eyes widen at her proposition, knowing that going into the Forbidden Woods was, well, forbidden. Which made Link all the more ecstatic to go. He nodded, signaling that he indeed wanted to go to the Forbidden Woods. Kyanna smiled, the two heading in the direction of which they were instructed not to go.

* * *

As the two entered the darkened woods, Link heard the Elders voice in the back of his mind.

_"The outer woods are too dangerous to be visited. It would seem strange things have been happening out there, forest kin disappearing-no doubt linked to the Darkness. They will hereby be forbidden to be visited." _Link recalled Maya, the small blonde girl who lived in the small hut by the river, last known visiting the Forbidden Woods before disappearing. And then there was Zayla, the red headed girl who was last seen visiting the Forbidden Woods, never seen after that.

The sky over head suddenly darkened as the two carried forward, and suddenly Link felt trepidation prickle his skin. The air suddenly grew cold, an eerie wind blew softly, the trees seeming to grow sparse and decayed.

"Kyanna," Link spoke softly, as if talking too loud was forbidden. "Maybe we should go back." The girl beside him chuckled, nudging him slightly.

"Oh, is the brave Link scared?" She taunted, sticking her tongue out at him.

"No, I'm not scared. There's just something...foreboding about this place." Kyanna had opened her mouth to speak, when a loud, blood chilling scream froze both forest dwellers. The noise ran Link's blood cold, causing bumps to rise all over his already prickled skin.

"Link, what was that?" Link ignored the girls question, his hand reaching out and grabbing her forearm tightly. He spun them both around, ready to head back down the path they had followed to get there. The path had disappeared, leaving nothing but trees behind them.

Link felt a pit of fear open in his stomach, his heart seeming to fall into it. They had not wandered from the path; the trees had moved. Link swallowed hard, trying to get rid of the lump that had formed in this throat. His head whipped about, searching for the path, but his body swelled with panic when he saw nothing but tall, dark trees.

The noise came again, this time louder-closer. Link gripped Kyanna's arm tighter before pulling her along behind him as he bolted. The girl simply followed Link, her small legs barely keeping up with his long ones.

"Link, please, I can't run as fast as you!" Kyanna pleaded. Link glanced back, meeting big brown orbs that were filled with tears. The noise came again, louder and from above. Link saw the dead set terror in Kyanna's eyes, the way her face drained of blood and how her lips quivered slightly. He felt his own lips quiver slightly, his heart beating so fast he was sure it would explode any moment.

"We have to keep moving," Link responded, trying to keep calm but his voice deceived him as it came out shaky and pitched. He gripped Kyanna's arm tighter before bolting once more.

He had only gone a few yards when he felt Kyanna jerk behind him, instantly followed by a scream. He instantly whipped around, the terror before him cutting him deep to his bones.

Living in the forest, Link had never seen anything other than the people who he thought of as family, and the regular animals of the forest. But what stood before him caused his body to freeze, a cold sensation creep into his skin and sink to his bones.

It wasn't human, or if it was, it was long dead. It had no skin, just a body of bones that stood tall and hunched over so much that its long, thick arms dragged the ground. Its mouth hung crooked and slightly agape, showing huge dark fangs that were stained red. Its beady black eyes never blinked as it stared down at Kyanna, where it had its massive hands clenched around her.

"Link! Link, help!" Kyanna's voice was loud and pleading, laced with terror and worry. Link let go off the girls arm before moving towards the black eyed beast hesitantly. Its beady eyes finally looked to Link, sending shivers down the blonde man's back.

The beast swung its massive arm in Link's direction, to which the forest man easily dodged. The hand hit the forest floor with a crackling thud, the sound excruciating loud. Link bolted forward, his boots digging into the forest floor as he ran toward the beast. The beady eyed monster swung its arm again, Link rolling to the side as he dodged it at the very last moment, the arm barely missing him as he pushed himself off the ground, his boots digging in the dirt once more as he ran forward.

Link hit the monster, their bodies smashing together. The monster staggered before losing its balance and falling to the ground. It thrashed about, swinging its arms wildly as Link straddled it, his hands moving wildly about the body, trying to pull any of the bones loose.

Link finally got ahold of the monsters massive shoulder, and with all the forest man's strength, he managed to pull the arm out of place. The monster below him screamed, the noise deafening. Link threw the arm freed of the body aside, as he rolled off the monster holding both hands over his sensitive ears.

The strawberry blonde fell to the ground, hands over his ears as the monster's shadow loomed darkly over him. As Link opened his eyes, he saw the beady black eyes one last time before he was struck on the head, the world fading out before him.


	2. Chapter 2

The cold tip of the dagger blade pressed firmly into Link's neck with just enough pressure to break the skin and cause a trickle of blood to seep through.

The blonde stood, his back pressed firmly up against a tree, his hands up in the air in front of him in an innocent gesture. He kept his breathing under control, his chest rising and lowering in a calm manner. His eyes were set unrelentingly on the violet red ones before his. Everything that looked strong and steady on the outside only deceived an onlooker; on the inside his stomach burned with worry, the feeling seeming to flare and spread through his body like wildfire. His skin prickled with trepidation, the feeling sending cold chills in waves over his body.

Link swallowed hard, his eyes wide and content. The red eyes before his were dark and unnerving, staring deeply into his.

"I have a simple query," the man with the red eyes spoke, his voice more high pitched then Link anticipated. The man was dressed in all blue, save for the white wrappings that he had around his calves and forearms. His head was covered by white cloth, most of it covering the lower part of his mouth. He had another sheathed dagger wrapped around his bicep, and one more around his thigh. Link really didn't want to piss this guy off.

"If it's a simple question why go to the extreme troubles of holding a dagger on me?" Link said shakily, cursing himself for how unsteady his voice was. Something dawned in the eyes of the male before him, and hesitantly the dagger was lowered.

Link sighed in great relief as he moved away from the tree, his eyes never leaving the man before him. He rubbed his neck, his hand becoming slick with blood.

"...sorry," the man said quietly, "about...that." He pointed with the dagger to indicate Link's neck. The blond held his hand over it, pressing firmly.

"By the great _Farore_," Link suddenly snapped, blood still seeping through his fingers, "I think you hit a jugular vein." The man rolled his eyes, sheathing the dagger. Before the man would speak a word, Link suddenly lunged forward, his hands gripping the man's shoulders.

"Did you happen to see a girl around here?" Link spoke, his voice thick and laced with worry. The red eyed man could see the terror in Link's blue orbs, and the man knew the young blonde had seen the creatures.

"No, I did not," the man's voice was apologetic, "did you see them? The black eyed creatures?" Link's heart sank, his stomach seeming to flip upside down. He cursed, instantly blaming Kyanna's disappearance on himself.

"I don't have time to chat," Link spoke curtly, his hand coming to rest once more on his injured neck. "I have to find my friend." He pushed passed the man, heading off into the forest.

His head still pounded from where he was struck by the beady eyed creature, his body feeling dizzy and weak. He didn't know how long he had been out, but when he came too, he had a dagger to his throat. _What kind of person finds a body lying lifeless in the dirt and waits for them to wake up to put a dagger to their throat? _Link thought as he rubbed at the broken skin on his neck.

"You won't find your friend," the red eyed man finally spoke up, causing Link to stop dead in his tracks.

"And why won't I?" Link finally inquired, his voice low as he dreading asking; afraid of what the answer might be.

"Because they took her," the words hit Link hard, like cold icy knives.

"Where did they take her?" Link spun around, facing the mysterious man before him.

"Where they take all the other girls they kidnap. If you would only listen to my question I ask of you-"

"I do not have time to answer any questions. Those monsters have my friend, I have to find her." Link spun around, heading in the direction he had been before, but the path he had been following was no more; the trees had shifted. He kicked the ground in frustration, clenching his fists as he let out a string of curses.

Suddenly Link was knocked off his feet, pinned up against a tree in front of him. His face was pressed firmly against the tree trunk, something cool pressed into the flesh of his neck-a dagger.

"If you want to save your friend, listen to me!" The man said darkly into Link's ear. Link squirmed under the man, trying to break free. The struggle only caused the dagger to be pressed more firmly into his skin. Link hissed through clenched teeth, feeling the dagger break skin once more.

"Damnit, what do you want?" The forest man yelled darkly through his clenched teeth, anything to get the dagger out of his neck.

"You've been having nightmares, am I correct? Nightmares about the Darkness?" Link suddenly stilled, his eyes narrowing as he felt suddenly uncomfortable; how did the man know that?

"How do you…?"

"I have them too," the man cut Link off as the blonde was in mid-sentence, finally drawing back the knife and releasing Link. The strawberry blonde rubbed his fresh wound, glaring at the man for the second time.

"Do they mean something?" Link hesitantly ask. He narrowed his eyes once more at the man, wondering if he should even put his trust in him. Where had he come from? Who was he?

"Yes. The legends that have been spoken of for centuries, of the Chosen Hero chosen by the Gods to save Hyrule in it's time of need-that hero is you," the man spoke with certainty, his head held high as his red eyes stared steadily at Link.

"And you know it's me?" Link asked uncertain. What had he done for the Gods to have chose him to be the Chosen Hero? _I couldn't even save Kyanna_, he thought grimly, his body racked with shame and guilt.

"The Gods spoke to me, in a dream. _A young man in green from the forest_, _who shows unending courage._ I've had dreams of my own, of a man clothed in green emerging from the forest and standing before the cloud of Darkness. That man was you."

Link's body went cold as he thought back to his dreams, the ones where he stood still, unable to move as he was consumed by the cloud. He shivered, remembering the fear that overtook his body when he'd wake in the night.

"Who are you?" Link inquired curiously, his eyes roaming over the man's half covered face suspiciously.

"I am Sedge of the Sheikah Tribe. My people have sworn to protect the Royal Family of Hyrule." Link now took notice in the design the man wore on the front of his blue outfit, a red eye with three pointed lashes atop, two curling on each side and a tear drop below the eye. He had heard of the Sheikah Tribe, or the 'Shadow Folk' as the elders had called them. Link had always thought that was something the elders had made up, for there wasn't much about them, except for the same old tale about a 'secretive, mysterious tribe that protected the Royal Family'. Link suddenly wondered if all what the elders spoke were really true, and a sense of horror whacked his body; the kingdom of Hyrule must be a terrifying place.

"I have come to look for you, Hero, for the Darkness is edging closer to Hyrule Castle, the last stronghold of this kingdom. The five temples across Hyrule-the Sacred Temples-have all fallen victim to the Darkness. The only way to push the Darkness back is to awaken the five Sacred Temples from their Dark slumber,"

At Sedge's words, Link felt determination bloom deep inside him, the feeling awakening his senses. He breathed deeply, the red eyes before him focusing on him intently.

"In doing so," Sedge continued, "you will rescue your friend, and all the others who have been taken."

"What does the Darkness want with these girls?" Link questioned, his head cocked curiously.

"It is searching for the Princess. If you have noticed, all the girls who have been kidnapped have long ears." Sedge began walking, his voice echoing through the trees as he carried forward. Link ran after him, suddenly feeling the spookiness creep forth again as he was momentarily left alone in the woods.

"The Princess? Zelda? Where is she?" Link had never seen or met the Princess, but the elders spoke of her highly.

"None know. As the Darkness crept forth, she disappeared one night."

Link said or asked no more, his mind not wanting to know any more about how dark the world had really become.

* * *

The sky was darkening, the sun beginning to set in the sky. It casted shadows in the woods, ones that toyed with Link's mind, making him feel on edge.

"I was hoping we'd make it out of the forest by nightfall," Sedge breathed, his voice laced with a bit of worry that instantly caught Link's attention.

"I don't like the sound of that," Link retorted, glancing sidelong at the man beside him.

"It's not safe at night." Sedge's red eyes looked straight into the blue orbs, Link unable to read the expression in them, but he had definitely heard the strain in his voice.

"Why? What happens at night?" Sedge ignored Link as the violet red eyes scanned the trees. Link followed his gaze, peering up above, wondering what they were looking for. Sedge suddenly ran forward, grabbing on to a tree branch and hauling himself upwards.

He paused briefly, looking back down to where Link stood, a mystified look plastered on his face.

"Can you climb trees?" Link only scoffed at Sedge, taking the lowest branch in his hands and hauling himself up with ease. He stopped momentarily to look at Sedge, their eyes meeting briefly. Sedge saw determination in the blue orbs that met his, a cold hard look that stilled the red eyed man.

Link climbed passed Sedge with ease, heading for the top quickly. He spent most of his time climbing the trees in Faron Forest, whether it was playing with the kids, or to see the Darkness, Link knew how to climb trees quickly and skillfully.

"Why are we climbing?" Link called down to Sedge, who was struggling to keep up with Link's pace.

"I don't want to be on the ground when the creatures come out. The worst ones come out at night." Link said no more as the low tone in Sedge's voice hushed him.

Link made it to the top, sitting comfortably on a wide tree branch. Sedge made his way up, swinging his legs over the same branch, sliding in gracefully next to Link.

"So we wait here until morning?" Link inquired as he looked to the darkened sky that now was covered in white specks.

"Yes, until the sun begins to rise." At Sedge's words, Link leaned back against the trunk of the tree, a sigh escaping his lips. How was he to fall asleep? What if he stirred in his slumber and toppled over and fell to the ground? The thought alone left the strawberry blonde wide wake, his eyes fixed on Sedge.

The man had blonde hair that stuck out from under the white cloth that covered most of his face. His violet red eyes shone with wisdom, gleaming darkly against his sun kissed face. Suddenly, the red orbs were fixed on Link.

"Have you heard of the sacred relic that the Royal Family has protected for ages?" Sedge's voice was merely a whisper, his head declined towards Link as he spoke softly. Link shook his head, cocking it slightly as Sedge grabbed his attention.

"Long ago, the three Goddesses came to Hyrule; Din, the goddess of power, Nayru, the goddess of wisdom, and Farore, the goddess of courage. Together, the three goddesses created this green earth, inaugurating the spirt of law to this world, and created all the life who would uphold and follow that law." Link leaned in closer as Sedge whispered the tale, his hands doing motions as he talked.

"Once the goddesses felt their work was enough and done," Sedge continued, "they left, departing for the sky. Three golden, sacred triangles were left behind at the point where the goddesses left this world. Those three triangles are our very basis of life; they are the sacred Triforce. They remain there still, to this day, in a place called the Sacred Realm. It was never meant for evil to touch it, for whoever places there hand upon the sacred Triforce," Link watched as Sedge held up a hand, pretending to place it on something in front of him, "gets grant a wish of whatever they imagine. So you see, the Darkness can never reach the last of the Sacred Temples, which lies behind the castle walls, for if it reaches the last temple, the Sacred Realm will be revealed, and the Triforce brought forth."

A feeling swelled up in Link, starting at his toes and blooming up and throughout his body, like blood pumping through his veins. The feeling made him sit up a little straighter as the feeling of dread seemed to disappear that he had been feeling for a while.

The feeling was pure determination laced with his aspirations-for the Gods had chosen him to save Hyrule, and he would stop at nothing to do just that.


	3. Chapter 3

**_If anyone had read chapter three before, I redid it and re-uploaded it because I did not like it at all. I am very sorry! I just felt like I brought that on too fast! So if anyone read it, it will be in the story, just later on! Once again I am sorry! :O_**

* * *

The red violet eyes peered curiously at the blonde forest man, his eyes shut lightly as he slept. Sedge scanned his features, taking in the mass of blonde hair that framed the man's face in choppy layers, seeming to outline his high cheekbones and defined jawline. His bangs side swept across his forehead, covering up some of his eyes as his head was tilted down.

Sedge found himself blinking to snap himself out of his gaze that fell over the man, the red eyes darting back to the black sky. Sedge sighed to himself, silently wishing dawn was near.

* * *

"_No hope," the voice in Link's ears was deep and dark as space itself. "No faith," the voice reached the depths of his mind, his body feeling the impact of the dark words. "Nothing, that's what will be left. Nothing." A chilling sensation crept forth, seeming to wrap around Link's body, chilling him to the bone. "Nothing but darkness." A sinister laughed rumbled loud like thunder, mentally and physically shaking Link's body. _

Link bolted from his sleep, a yell escaping his lips. His pupils were dilated, a bead of sweat ran down his forehead as his chest heaved. His blue eyes met red ones instantly, a startled look in the violet ones.

"What is it?" Sedge asked as he moved on the branch, closer to the blonde.

"Another nightmare," Link murmured, his body shaking, the deep voice still echoing in the back of his mind. He closed his eyes, hoping to calm himself, ridding his mind of the voice. After a few moments of the two sitting in silence, Link finally opened his eyes. Sedge could see the coldness that settled in those blue eyes, once vibrant and bright, now icy and daring.

"Well," Sedge spoke, ignoring the scene that just happened, "dawn is upon us. We should go." Link didn't protest as he longed to move, even though he loved being in the trees, he felt as if the Darkness was there in that spot with them, the nightmare tainting the tree.

* * *

Link had never set foot outside the woods, so when the hollow log came into view, he felt his chest swell. The hollow log led to the outside world, the world that was now shattered and broken; a dark infested world. The forest had always been his home, the place that was safe and green, the only place he'd known.

He finally stepped on the log, his boot making an echo down the tunnel before him. He turned back, his eyes scanning the trees one last time before he continued behind Sedge, leaving Faron Forest behind.

Link ran his hand over the smooth surface of the log as he trudged on, his fingers going numb from the friction. He breathed deeply, his mind a constant battle between guessing what lied behind the tunnel and hushing all thoughts in an attempt to keep calm. A small light began to emerge at the end, and Link felt his heart beating faster with each step as the light grew brighter and brighter.

He closed his eyes as his fingers hit the end of the log, signaling they had reached the end. He breathed deeply and exhaled slowly as he opened his eyes. His breath hitched in his throat as his body seemed to go numb.

Link would always scan the horizon in the forest and see a horizon of blue, one of peace and calm, full of white endless clouds. That horizon was long gone, replaced by a dark, melancholia decay; the sky was the color of ash, dark black clouds lingered so low Link wondered if he could reach out a grab them.

The grass of Hyrule Field grew wild and tall, brown with death. The trees that once stood tall and green, now bare of leaves, standing tall and lifeless like skeletons reaching up towards the darkened sky.

"The war with the Darkness has been going on for quite some time," Sedge spoke, his voice dangerously low. "Ten years to be exact. Princess Zelda and the Royal Family knew about it before it ever came to Hyrule. They were battling it before it ever reached this kingdom. But their defenses fell, the battle lost, and it crept forth. Since then, the kingdom has only plummeted downward, an endless spiral heading straight for darkness that awaits it eagerly." Link glanced sidelong at the man beside him as he spoke, his red eyes staring out over the barren field.

"We must find the first Sacred Temple and awaken it from its dark slumber," Sedge paused, his eyes coming to rest on Link. "But first, we need to find you a sword and a shield, you are not properly equipped."

* * *

Link felt his stomach twist and churn, a sick feeling rising up in his stomach as Sedge pulled a sword out of a pile of bones; formerly a Hylian solider. They were just east of Hyrule Castle Town, in an open field where a gruesome battle had taken place only years ago. As Link glanced around, he took in the piles of bones that had once been soldiers lying about. Swords, shields, and helmets of the fallen littered the ground, giving the filed a cold, desolate air.

"Those creatures," Sedge began saying as he reached for a shield laying close by, "the ones with the beady eyes, this is their work. They're vile creatures, skinning their prey to the bone in a matter of minutes." The masked man's eyes were suddenly dark, a distant suffering look placed deep in the red orbs.

"Did you fight in the war against the Darkness?" Link suddenly asked, hesitantly taking the sword from Sedge, strapping it to his back, the strap crossing his chest in the front.

"Yes," Sedge said curtly, his tone obvious he wanted the conversation to end. Link said no more as he took the shield from the man, strapping it to his back with ease.

"How are we going to find these Sacred Temples?" Link inquired after a moment's silence had fallen over the two. "I don't think we're just going to walk around Hyrule and they're going to spring up out of the ground. Nor do I think we're going to find a map that reads, 'here are the locations of the Sacred T-"

"You speak, but you do not give the time to listen," Sedge's voice was even, his eyes glaring at Link, "I ask you to please shut up. Within the Castle walls lies the Royal Family library, contained in the library are the ancient scrolls left by the gods. They include clues as to where the Sacred Temples lie."

"Well, great, let's get going." Link turned on his heels, his pace headed for the dark walls of Castle Town that lurked in the near distant. Sedge's words halted him midstride.

"We cannot simply march in there demanding to be taken to the Royal Family library." Link turned his questioning gaze on Sedge, an eyebrow arched high.

"Didn't you say your tribe protected the Royal Family? Can't you just tell them you're there to help and find the locations of the temples?"

"I do not think you weak minded, but you are naive. They will not listen. I have tried to warn them about the temples, but they simply do not see." Link pondered a moment, his mind reeling for any kind of proposition.

"What do you purpose we do then?"

"We'll have to sneak into the castle. We shall wait till nightfall." Link groaned, fearing he'd have to spend another night in a tree.

* * *

Water seeped through Link's boots as he crouched next to Sedge in the moat, their bodies close together. Night had just fallen, throwing the world in an even darker state. Link heard the rustle of grass as dark creatures he didn't want to imagine ran amuck in the field behind him. He made sure he kept quiet, his breathing so low it was as if he wasn't breathing at all.

"Just follow me," Sedge whispered in Link's ear, his breath tickling the pointed ear of the forest man. "Hold your breath, we'll be going under water." With the last words spoken, Link heard Sedge inhale deeply as a splash rippled in the water before him. Link breathed deep before ducking his head and submerging himself in the water as well.

Link saw nothing but blackness, the noise of the water roaring in his ears. How was he supposed to follow Sedge if he could not see? Suddenly, as if to answer his question, a dim, pink light illuminated within the water, the light seeming to come from Sedge's finger tips.

He saw the red eyes look to him before turning and swimming away, and Link hurriedly followed. Sedge suddenly came to a halt, his hands wrapping around something in front of him in the dark water. Link could make out iron bars, the thick poles blocking their way. Link groaned in frustration, the noise distorted as it echoed in the water.

Sedge placed his hands on the metal before him, both hands wrapping around them tightly. He bowed his head as he closed his eyes briefly. To Link's amazement, the bars disappeared, seeming to vanish before his eyes.

Sedge led the way once more, and as Link passed through the space that was just occupied by the bars, he heard a noise in the water, somewhat distorted. He spun around in the water quickly, his hand going back instinctively on the hilt of the sword. But all he was faced with were the iron bars, the ones that were not there just moments before. Link narrowed his eyes, thinking the dark waters were playing tricks on him. He stuck out a hand, his fingertips welcomed by cool metal.

He didn't stay and gawk as his lungs began to burn for air. He turned, the pink light barely visible now that Sedge was much further up ahead than he was. The forest man turned and followed fast pursuit to catch up with the small pink light.

The pink light swam upward, and Link followed, as he suddenly broke surface. He gasped for air, his lungs greedily expanding and burning with the new air. Sedge swam over to a small ledge, pulling himself up and out of the cool water.

"Where are we?" Link asked, as he stood beside Sedge, water flinging from blonde locks as Link shook his head wildly.

"We are beneath Hyrule Castle. In the sewer." Sedge bounded forward, taking them both down a long narrow tunnel, turning this way and that, already having Link lost. The blonde wondered how many times (and why) Sedge had been down here. The blonde didn't ask as suddenly, they stood under a ladder.

"I will go up first, only follow when I say so." Sedge's voice was stern as he turned and climbed the ladder with attentiveness. Link waited below patiently as moonlight was suddenly streaming down on him from above, Sedge having moved whatever was blocking the sewer.

"Come up," Link heard Sedge's voice whisper harshly down. Link scurried up the ladder with agile, his boots not making a noise as he more or less hopped up the ladder. Sedge placed the round object back down in the ground, covering up the sewer once more.

Link stood in the center of a massive garden, trees growing in various places as colorful bunches of flowers grew in between the spaces the trees didn't fill. A cobblestone walkway wound between the flowers and trees, leading in different directions to different doors that led into the castle.

The tall brick walls of the castle threw the garden in shadow, for the garden was located right in the center of the castle, almost like a courtyard. Sedge motioned for Link to follow as he led him down the nearest walkway, towards the furthest door.

_Do they just leave the castle unattended? _Link asked himself as they made it to the door without trouble. Sedge moved forward, holding out a single finger to halt Link. The masked man opened the door, his actions slow and precise, careful as to not make noise. Link was impressed as the man managed to open the massive wooden door without making a single noise.

Sedge then disappeared inside, disappearing from Link's sight. The blonde stood still, waiting for Sedge. Voices came from the other end of the garden, male voices, growing louder as they came closer. Link froze, his mind thrown into chaos as he thought of something to do. Without much clear thought, his body seeming to move on its own, he dove into a bush closest to him, instantly regretting it as branch poked him painfully in the side.

He peeked through the leaves and branches, making out two Hylian guards, their spears lazily grasped in their hands. They were walking towards him on the stone path, their gazes hidden by the helmets they wore.

"…after the death of the king and her son, Impa seemed to take control anyway. With the princess missing, there really was no one else." The guard's words floated lazily to Link, before the realization hit him. The king of Hyrule was dead. The words chilled Link just as a winter day would. It left bumps on his skin and made him shake with a cold that lingered in his bones.

A hand grasped his shoulder, a soft voice whispering in his ear.

"Link…Link come on," Sedge's voice was there, but the words seemed to be misplaced. Link was finally snapped out of his daze as he was yanked back forcefully into the wooden doors.

"What has gotten into you?" Sedge asked, his voice somewhat annoyed. Link shook his head, clearing the fog that had made its way there.

"The king…he's dead. I overheard the guards talking about it." Link saw the way the red eyes darkened with shame for a brief moment, the way the pupils dilated before the red orbs glanced away.

"We must make haste," Sedge said suddenly, his voice somewhat distant. Link didn't get another word in as the man took off down a dark corridor, the only light was that of the moon, streaming in through the windows.

Link couldn't make out much of the interior, but the corridor was massive, the ceiling stretching on as high as Link could see. Various pictures lined the hallway, ones of people he'd never seen before.

As the two men reached the end of the corridor, a picture hanging on the wall caught Link's attention. So much so, that the young man stopped, gazing intently upon it. Sedge noticed Link's footsteps slow before stopping completely, and the man turned on his heels to find the blonde man staring up at a massive picture hanging on the wall.

Link's blue eyes scanned the picture, taking in its breath taking beauty. It was that of a young woman, around his age, her eyes the blue of a clear summer's day sky. Her dark blonde hair flowed over her shoulders in luscious locks. A gold band ran around her head, joining on her forehead in a blue jewel.

Her defined jawline outlined her slim face, making her appear older and giving her a mystic appearance. Her lips were pressed firmly together, her wise looking eyes fixed forward. She looked posed against her will, her body posture stiff and unwillingly.

"Link what are you doing?" Sedge whispered, his body suddenly close to Link's. The blonde kept his eyes on the picture, memorized by the woman's beauty.

"Who is that?" The blonde finally spoke, his voice distant.

"That's Zelda, the Princess of Hyrule." Link finally turned his eyes away from the picture, his gaze falling to Sedge in a sort of drunken way.

"She's beautiful. Do you think when I save Hyrule she'd consider me courting her?" Link couldn't tell if it was the dark playing tricks on him or his own mind, but at his words, he swore he saw a dark red blush spread across the man's face. Link blinked a few times, but the deep red color was still there, spreading on the man's cheeks.

"Should you really be thinking about that at a time like this? Let's go." Sedge turned on his heels, his voice suddenly cold and hard. Link glanced once more at the picture before following Sedge.

* * *

The room was filled with books, from ceiling to floor, from wall to wall. The room held a musty smell, one that Link couldn't get used to. He followed Sedge, pink light illuminating from the tips of his fingers as he led Link down rows of books.

"How do you know the castle so well?" Link finally asked, the question had been wandering around in his mind ever since they emerged from the sewer into the garden.

"I was once Princess Zelda's guardian," as Sedge spoke, Link could faintly hear despair in the man's voice, "she was a wild thing, never wanting to stay still in one spot. She would always find a way to sneak out-that's how I discovered the way in from the sewer. She would love to come down here, sitting amongst the books and read for hours. That's how I discovered the ancient scrolls about the Sacred Temples."

"If you were her guardian then why couldn't you just come in here from the main gate? Why sneak in?"

"Because, I am no longer welcomed here among the Royal Family." Sedge stated curtly, hushing Link from asking anymore questions.

Sedge led them down a rather empty row of books at the outer edge of the room. He stopped suddenly at the end of the row, where a small individual book shelf sat. His hand went particularly to one book in the middle of the shelf, and with a yank, he pulled it back.

Something shifted to the right of the shelf, causing Link to jerk back. Link peered closer, realizing one of the shelves had moved, revealing a hole in the wall. Sedge led the way through it, Link following eagerly behind.

They emerged into a dark room, the musty smell before intensifying. The room was suddenly lit by a candle that Sedge lit, illuminating the room in a dim light that danced across the walls. Scrolls lay out on a small table that sat up against the wall, their parchment decorated in old ancient lettering.

Sedge moved toward the scrolls, picking one up carefully as his eyes peered through the dark to read. Link reached for the candle, holding it close to the paper with meticulous movements as to not burn the paper.

"_The five Sacred Temples_," Sedge began reading slowly, deliberately, "_stand guard to the Sacred Realm. One lies deep in the depths of the earth's blood, another within the fallen tears of the Heavens, one in the heat of the sun, one deep in the green nature, and one where the brave have fallen." _ Link looked at Sedge discouraged, his eyebrows furrowed together.

"That's it? No, 'go here and then here, here, here and then finally here'? How in the name of Din are we going to find these temples?" Sedge tore his eyes off the scroll and with a roll of his eyes, looked at Link exasperatingly.


	4. Chapter 4

"Death Mountain stands tall over Hyrule, with caverns filled with lava and fire that run deep into the earth. I believe that is where the first sacred temple lies." Sedge spoke with certainty.

"If the caverns are filled with lava and fire, how do you suppose we enter?"

"There used to be a tribe that lived in the mountain-the Goron tribe-that had the power to bestow upon humans that let them walk amongst fire. But since the Darkness came, they left the mountain to fight with the Hyrulean army." Sedge's voice was dubious, and even in the dark tunnel Link could see the way his violet eyes stared at nothing.

Link leaned back against the cool wall of the sewer, his eyes gazing down the tunnel from which they had just came. Sedge had insisted they leave immediately after they found the scrolls, and Link secretly felt disappointed. He wanted to stay and gawk at all the fancy paintings that hung on the walls, at the massive hallways and high ceilings of the castle, but Sedge was determined and narrow minded, and although he acted on impulse Link sensed a wise aura about him.

"We shall travel to Death Mountain anyway. There's not much else we can do now as it is." Sedge motioned for Link to follow as he led them the rest of the way through the sewer.

When dawn broke over the forest, it was as if the sky was painted in deep oranges and pinks, at the center rose the bright sun that appeared atop the trees as a hazy orange ball of light. It was Link's favorite time of day, as the first lights of day streamed through the trees reflecting last night's dew that rose up to create a hazy fog. Link would climb the trees just as the sun would appear in the horizon, eager to see the world painted in such beauty.

Now, as Link swam out of the sewer and on to dry land, he witnessed the sunrise light up a dead world. The sky was bleak, a dark gray that grew duller as the dim yellow orb of the sun rose higher. The sky only seemed to reflect in the field as the gray decayed landscape woke from its dark slumber.

"Death Mountain is not far from here," Sedge motioned, and Link followed.

"Kakariko Village lies at the base of Death Mountain, a village from which my Sheikah tribe founded and built. It was a small, thriving village, but the people panicked when the Darkness came, and the village caught fire and burned." Sedge's voice had taken on a harrowing tone. "The village was destroyed before the Darkness even over took it."

"What happened to all the villagers?" Link asked quietly, his eyes locked on Sedge. Sedge kept a stern face, his violet eyes kept forward.

"Most of them fled to Hyrule Castle Town. The ones who didn't, stayed behind and were ravaged by the Darkness." Link didn't say anymore as the curt tone in Sedge's words warned him not to.

The two walked across the field silently, the only sound heard was the desolate wind blowing eerily through the grass. As they walked away from the castle towers that stretched toward the sky, Link could see the tall dark mountain that loomed in the distant. He saw the orange red color of fire and lava that flowed down the side, the vibrant color looking amiss among the bleak colors of the sky and landscape.

The two continued on in silence once more, the mountain growing closer.

* * *

The village at the base of the mountain was desolate and so quiet Link swore he could hear the sound of dry died leaves falling to the ground. Scorched skeletons of houses remained, the ashes of their timbers scattered on the ground. Link looked to Sedge, whose half hidden face grew grim at the sight of the village.

"Let's head for the mountain." Sedge's voice was curt as he kept walking. Link noticed how his head was kept forward, his eyes locked on the path before them. Link followed as they headed for a large plateau that rose sharply in the distant. Link was left to gaze mournfully at the empty houses as they passed them.

Once they were clear of the burned village, Link turned his eyes meeting with yet another melancholia sight caused by Darkness. The village let a sorrow empty feeling creep up Link's spine, and he found himself breathing a forlorn sigh. The walked onward, the ground rising steadily before them.

Soon the volcanic plateau stretched before the two men, the dull grass giving away to a dark red sand. The temperature suddenly changed and the smell of sulfur filled the air. There was no path that led anywhere, just a vast wasteland of sand that led up to the mountain. Small clusters of bushes were scattered along in front of them, and Link took notice not to touch them; they were covered in spikes.

"No one ever came up to the mountain, did they?" Link asked, kicking his leg rapidly as a bush clung to the side of his boot.

"None dared to make the dangerous adventure up the mountain side," as Sedge spoke, Link followed the other man's finger as he pointed to the slope of the steep mountain, and drew his finger up to the peak. "It's a dangerous hike. The Goron's don't like outsiders, but they used to make frequent trips to the village and even Castle Town." Sedge now pointed to the ground a few feet away, and brought to Link's attention the small ditch in the ground.

"Their bodies are made of rock, and when they travel they roll themselves into balls and roll down the mountain. These ditches you see are the paths their bodies made over countless trips." Link noticed all the other small ditches that led from the mountain to the village. Even the paths created by the Goron's seemed to give him a sense of forlorn; everything that once was, was no more. The two continued on, both silent as the mountain grew.

* * *

"I thought you were good at climbing?" Sedge yelled down to Link, where the forest man was having trouble placing his foot.

"I'm good at climbing trees-this is a hell of a lot different than a tree." Link's voice was laced with annoyance as he once again tried to climb up the rocky surface.

"No, put your foot there," Sedge made a vain attempt to point at the space between the rocks where Link should place his foot, but the forest man was looking downward.

"Place your foot right there," Sedge spoke again, and this time the forest man's head shot upward, cerulean blue eyes heated as they gazed at the Sheikah.

"You're really not helping Sedge." Links voice came out as a harsh breath as he moved one of his hands cautiously up, placing it gently in a crevice in the rocks. As Link tried to pull himself upward, he felt the small ledge his hand rested on give away. Rocks and debris tumbled down in his face, blocking his vision.

He felt his heart tumble down into his stomach as he felt himself falling backward. He scrambled, reaching out and trying to grab anything to hold onto. He fell a few feet until his hand, reaching frantically in front of him amongst the rocks, caught itself in a deep crevice and hauled him to a painful halt. A searing pain shot through his body as his shoulder seemed to pop out of place.

Sedge saw the ledge give away and saw the sheer terror in Link's blue orbs as he tumbled downward. Sedge felt hopeless as a lump rose in his throat. There was nothing he could do to save Link. Sedge turned his head and closed his eyes; he didn't want to see how it ended.

The Sheikah felt fear whack his body as he heard a deep yell, one laced with pain and anger. The Sheikah, out of fear of what he'd see, closed his eyes tighter as he wished he could shut his ears as he did his eyes.

"Sedge, my hands stuck in the rock." Sedge sighed relief at hearing Link's voice. He opened his eyes and peered over the edge. Link had fallen a few feet, and now hung only by his hand that was stretched over his hand and deep in the rocks.

Link felt immense pain shoot from his hand to his arm and all over his body. He felt his hand slick with blood. As he peered up, he saw that his index and middle fingers were trapped between the rocks. He gritted his teeth in pain as he tried to wiggle them free. His shoulder burned with pain, the type to make your head fuzzy.

"Stay still I'll be down in a minute." Sedge's voice came rushed and frantic from above. Link could hear his heartbeat in his ears as he breathed heavily. He closed his eyes tightly as he tried to remain calm and still.

Soon he felt a soft clothed hand wrap around his injured hand. He opened his eyes to be met with violet ones. Sedge could see Link's deformed shoulder, the way the bone stuck out unnaturally made Sedge cringe.

"Your index and middle fingers are stuck Let me get them out and you'll be fine." Link was about to protest when he was cut off by his own scream. Sedge had yanked on his hand, trying to free his fingers. The attempt was in vain as Link's fingers remained wedged between the rocks.

"Did that hurt?" Sedge's question sent a flare through Link. The forest man glowered at Sedge in irritation.

"They're stuck. There's no way to get them out unless you want to cut off my fingers." Link met for the last sentence to be a sarcastic one, but the light in Sedge's eyes made him regret saying it.

"You can't really want to cut my fingers off," Link's voice was taken aback, his blue orbs wide with terror.

"What else do you purpose?" It was silent as both men stared at one another, Link's mind scrambling for an answer.

The forest man gritted his teeth once more, and yanked his arm back with force. Sheer pain halted him, and he once again yelled out in pain. His fingers were stuck and they weren't coming out. He slowed his breathing as the pain dwindled, opening his eyes slowly as he nodded to Sedge.

The Sheikah unsheathed his bigger dagger that was strapped around his thigh. The sight of the white blade made Link twist his head and shut his eyes, somehow already feeling the blades slick sharp edge cutting through his fingers. Sedge hadn't even moved the blade yet, it still rested before him. The Sheikah held on tight to the rocks with his free hand, his feet fitting perfectly in the crevices in the rocks. But suddenly, Sedge felt like everything was spinning. He panicked, the fear of falling rising up in him.

"Are you going to do it or not?" Link's voice came between clenched teeth. Sedge took a deep breath in as he calmed his nerves. He reached out gently, wrapping his slim fingers around Link's wrist once more.

At the cool touch, Link squeezed his eyes shut tight. He clenched his teeth so forcefully his jaw began to ache. The flare of pain that spread throughout his body was like none he'd ever felt before. The dagger sliced through his fingers like air. He screamed out in pain, the noise deafening Sedge and leaving a roaring in Link's own ears. Warm liquid trailed down his arm, pouring down his shoulder and over his back.

"Link we have to make it up to that ledge and stop the bleeding." Sedge's voice was far, and as Link looked at his face it became blurry and hazy. The forest man clung to the side of the rocks, his feet barely holding him up as he stood on his tiptoes on a small rock that jutted outward. Link felt Sedge grab on to him, and his legs began to move on their own, although he knew he was moving them. His body seemed to be controlled by someone else, his arms and legs numb.

Sedge managed to get them both safely to the ledge above, flinging Link on first. Sedge unwrapped one of the cloth pieces that he kept wrapped around his calf and quickly applied it to the stubs on Link's hand.

Link's eyes began to flitter, his blue orbs becoming hazy as his eyelids closed over them. Sedge held the cloth tight to Link's wound, chanting a series of words under his breath. A soft pink light glowed where Sedge's fingers met Link's wound, and it grew in brightness the more the words were chanted.

Sedge slowed the chants and the light dimmed before disappearing altogether. Link was already asleep, his chest rising and falling steadily. Sedge removed the cloth, revealing two healed stubs on Link's blood stained hand. The Sheikah now took care of Link's dislocated shoulder, placing his hands firmly on it and pushing hard until he felt it pop.

The young man sat back on his heels, his eyes on the Chosen Hero before him. Dried blood caked Link's hand, and made a dark red veiny river up his arm. Sedge ran a hand over his stomach, seeing the long scar in his mind that was there under his cloth. He to, had fallen from this very cliff. He replayed it in his mind the way the rocks tumbled down on him, pushing him down on the hard surface and pinning him. His slim fingers came up and traced the small scar above his lips where blood once poured from a gash. Link was lucky.

* * *

The moon was huge, hanging right in the middle of the sky when Link woke. Sedge was sitting close by, his arms wrapped around his knees that were pulled in close to his chest.

"How do you feel?" Sedge asked quietly. Link noticed the pain in his shoulder, but nothing else. He glanced down to his right hand, the hand that was missing an index and middle finger. But there was something else that pained Link.

"I can't even climb a mountain," Link's voice was soft, his eyes locked on the ground. "How can I defeat the Darkness if I can't climb rocks?"

"I almost died climbing this mountain years ago." Sedge's voice was blunt. "I came a lot closer than you did. This mountain wasn't intended for humans to climb it. The Goron's made sure of that." Sedge let his sentence hang in the night air.

Link wiggled his stubs, the feeling foreign to him. It wasn't too bad as he did wield his sword with his left hand.

"In the morning we will continue up the mountain. We both could use rest." Sedge turned to Link as he spoke, his eyes jaded. Link lied back, the dark sky peppered with white spread before him.

"Where do you think Princess Zelda is?" Link suddenly asked, his mind drifting back to the picture in the castle. Sedge was silent for a moment, the air suddenly growing heavy.

"I don't know. But Hyrule doesn't need her anyway. In a way, this mess we're in is her fault."

"What? I've heard countless stories of the princess, and how she cared fiercely for her people-her and the King both-" Link's sentence was cut short as Sedge sat up abruptly from where he and lain.

"Stories are nothing to reality. The princess knew about the Darkness-and where is it now? Too many people died under her rule, even the death of the King is on her hands. She had her chance to protect her people and she couldn't do that. She watched her people get slaughtered and she couldn't do anything." Link sat in silence as Sedge's voice hitched and became uneven. The Sheikah stayed sitting for a brief moment before he lay back down, and as Link peered over, even in the dark of the night, he saw the Sheikah's shoulder shake as the man wept quietly.

* * *

**_I will try to update this faster than what I have. Sorry!  
_**


	5. Chapter 5

Flakes of ash fell from the sky to tangle in Sedge's blonde hair. After the incident with Link, climbing the rest of the way up faired in their favor. Link still felt a sting in his shoulder, but his hand that was missing two fingers bothered him not even in the slightest.

Numerous times Link found himself turning and looking over his shoulder, down into the valley. The empty vastness that spread out below casted an air of deep pessimism around him. Each time he peered down the mountain, the more the feeling in his chest swelled.

Sedge pushed forward, never peering back. Link tried to have empathy for the strange man, but there was something unsettling about the silence he brought. Link often found himself studying the man from afar, deep in thought as he tried to figure him out. Sedge never spoke of anything besides the task at hand, no matter how much Link tried to pry and poke. The man was relentlessly determined, something Link was learning quickly.

Link pulled himself up over the ledge with a satisfied grunt, landing on his stomach before jumping to his feet swiftly. The two men stood in a small cave in the rocks, which from standing afar would be hidden from sight. The cave continued onward, a dark tunnel that seemed to spiral downward into the mountain itself.

A soft humming noise seemed to emit from the dark of the cave, a soft musical hum that sent a chill of vibration through Link. Link didn't wait for Sedge this time, as he took the first step forward. His boots echoed a soft thud through the tunnel as he soon was enveloped by the darkness.

The soft vibrations of the humming intensified, the walls of the tunnels seeming to breathe with life themselves. The noise seemed to lull Link's eyelids shut softly as his feet thudded softly down the tunnel.

"Do you hear that? There's someone down there," the unearthly undertone from Sedge caused bumps to rise over Link's skin fiercely. The soft humming grew immensely, and soon it reached Link's ears in a rhythm-someone was singing. As the two men now made sure to walk with light footsteps, the humming suddenly diminished. Link instantly froze, the tunnel growing silent. Almost as suddenly as the humming stopped, a soft noise began.

As it echoed down the tunnel it was hard to comprehend, but it was clear it was a voice. Link began walking again, picking up his speed but careful enough to silence his footsteps. A deep harrowing tone rang out, the words in the form of a song finally reached Link's ears.

"_Fire burns red, the color of blood_

_The color of power _

_Let Din flow, her energy flood_

_Let her hell shower._

_Wash away the sin_

_Goddess Din, _

_Wake within, and defeat this darkness again."_

The song rolled down the tunnel soothingly, the voice deep and monotone. The lyrics reached Link's ears and gave him chills, his body physically shivering. He turned, peering back at violet eyes.

"Are they summoning something?" Link whispered as they continued walking quietly.

"It's a Gratitude Song to the Goddess Din. People sing these songs when hope seems departed. There's one to each Goddess." The humming started back steadily as Sedge spoke, before suddenly it stopped and the song was repeated.

"So it's almost like a prayer?" Link spoke softly.

"Long ago people believed the only way the Goddesses could hear us was through music. It's even told there were magical instruments that controlled things that only Goddesses could-such as time."

"Why don't we just search for the magical instruments instead of the temples? Then we could just go back in time and stop everything before it began." Link said this lightly, humor thick in his tone.

Sedge slowly turned his head, facing the forest man. The side of his face that was exposed from under the cloth was turned up in slight mock disgust. The smile that was spread proudly across Link's face diminished just as quickly as it occurred. Sedge suddenly found himself smiling at the discomfort of the other man, the gesture hidden beneath the cloth that covered most of his face.

Link made no more attempts at conversation as he picked up pace through the tunnel. The deep voice would sing the song, and then hum a deep rumbling hum that seemed to shake the walls of the tunnel, before repeating the cycle over again. The voice grew in volume as they reached the end of the tunnel, the space before them growing into a well-lit city of rocks.

Link felt awed by the craftsmanship. Houses were carved into the mountain side with great detail and massive work. Link had never seen anything like it before. A stone stair case led down into the valley of it all, where a stone path led through the other small houses that were made of rock. The two men stood on a ledge that sat various rock-houses which all over-looked the small valley below.

"There's a whole city under the mountain that no one knows about," Link said astonished.

"People know, it's just they lack the real image." Sedge nudged Link as he spoke, knocking Link out of his dream like state.

The voice was coming from the valley, and Link didn't hesitate to climb the stairs down. He made sure to keep his footsteps hushed against the cool of the stone path, but utter complete silence made it hard to do just that. The stone city was completely empty, and except for the voice singing, it was a ghost town.

Link followed the bellowing voice through the city as it led him down the path that suddenly took a dive downward. It seemed they were going deeper into the mountain, and Link feared they would go too far, only to be met with a wall of fire or a river of lava.

Suddenly the tunnel opened up to a massive room lit by torches and high stone arch ways. The stone path narrowed immensely, becoming a bridge that stood hundreds of feet above a boiling river of vibrant red lava. The stone walkway continued on the other side and wounded deep within the mountain. The massive room seemed to continue on quite a ways, and Link was eager to reach the other side. The forest man leaned over, peering off the edge and down into the lava. Even though they stood far away from the river below, Link felt the heat that drifting upward.

As Link took the first step forward, he felt a grip on his arm. He turned, facing Sedge, whose violet eyes danced with the light from the torches.

"Link, I can't do it." Fear woke within the Sheikah, and Link could see it in his eyes.

"Why not? You're not afraid of heights, we just climbed up the side of the tallest mountain in Hyrule." Link's voice was anything but sympathetic.

"It's not the height. It's the fact that below is a boiling river of lava." Link shrugged off Sedge's fear as he turned back and began walking again. Sedge took in the way Link walked with ease-almost carefree across the massive, narrow bridge. Link swung around carelessly, shrugging his shoulders as he threw his hands up.

"Don't step off then," Link called as he bent over and peered off the side of the bridge. "You'll be fine." Sedge let his eyes embrace the way the wave of heat wafted up and created a hot wind that rustled Link's strawberry blond hair. The elated smile on Link's face was comforting, and Sedge found himself etching closer to crossing the bridge.

"It's alright as long as you don't look down." Sedge sought the solace in Link's voice as he spoke, and the young Sheikah kept his eyes locked intently on Link. Sudenly, the two men were standing face to face, and to Sedge's pleasure, they were standing on the other side of the bridge. The heat was getting fierce, and Sedge found himself shifting uncomfortable in his tight clothes. He could feel a single bead of sweat trickle its way down his back. He peered at Link, whose smile seemed to enliven the way the heat almost seemed to squeeze the air out of the Sheikah.

Sedge found himself smiling at the way the light of the fire of the torches danced orange across Link's face. The hot wind tousled Link's hair, blowing the blondes bangs across the sun-kissed face. Sedge tore his eyes away, knowing that he was staring at the man.

"How much further can we go? The heat is intensifying." Link breathed as sweat rolled down his face.

"I have never been this far in the mountain before. I'm not for certain, but right now let's find the source of that singing." Sedge took a few steps before hesitantly turning around, a red violet eye peering at Link with a sense of forlorn.

"This mountain should be desolate. All the Goron's left to fight in the army. I know, for I was with Zelda when she pleaded with the Goron King to fight alongside the Hyrulean army. I am not sure what we are going to be faced with." Sedge's voice was daunting, and although it should have warned Link, it only made the forest man eager.

The stone path continued downward, leading the men deeper into the mountain. At first the heat seemed as though a hot summer day, and then grew greater, and Link felt as though he was wrapped in a blanket and tossed into the midday of summer. Sweat poured increasingly down his forehead and down his temples, running into his eyes and even his mouth. He brushed his bangs back with the back of his hands, but they kept falling back onto his drenched forehead.

The high ceiling and stone archways of the massive hall they were in gave away to a smaller, tidier room. It was well lit with torches every so feet on the wall. The stone pathway gave away to smooth brown rock that was covered in a red carpet. An enormous throne of rocks sat empty on the other side of the room, a symbol engraved in the back of it. The singing finally subdued, and round purple eyes were suddenly focused on Link and Sedge.

Link had never seen a creature quite like the one that stared at them in trepidation. Its head was round with a patch of white hair growing perfectly atop its brown head. It was short with a round belly, and a shell on its back that seemed to be made of rock. Its beady eyes stared at Link vigorously.

"Dedgie," Sedge finally spoke, relief seeming to flood from the young warrior. "What are you doing here? All the others…" As Sedge spoke Link's eyes wandered to the wall the creature sat in front of, his cerulean eyes looking over the drawings the creature had created. He drew more like him, all holding hands with little upturned lines on their faces for smiles. Looking back at the creature now who sat with a languid posture, it was the opposite of what he was feeling.

"Father sent me home before the battle even began. He had instructions for me to remain safe so that when the tribe came back, they would have a leader." Dedgie stood, a soft smile on his face. But it was far from happy.

"Dedgie, this is Link. Link, this is Dedgie." Sedge introduced the two with a wave of his hand. Link held up his hand in a half wave, and the Goron simply smiled.

"Listen, Dedgie," Sedge suddenly spoke with urgency, "we need the relic that allows humans to walk amongst fire-we need to enter the Sacred Temple that lies deep in the belly of the volcano." Dedgie's face contorted to shock, and then disbelief.

"You can't possibly want to go to the Sacred Temple! Only father has been there! Anyway, when the time of the Darkness, he sealed the gate shut. The temple had been overrun with monsters."

"We come to awaken the Sacred Temple and return light to this place. Link is the God's Chosen Hero and he is the only one who can awaken the temple-Dedgie, we need the Goron's Relic." Sedge's voice was pleading. The Goron's eyes turned wide, the purple orbs landing on Link profoundly. Link simply half waved again, the stare of the purple orbs making him uncomfortable.

"I had no idea," Dedgie's voice was awed, his gaze still fixed on Link. "I mean, I guess father wouldn't be too mad if I let the Chosen Hero have the Goron Relic." Dedgie seemed to contemplate this, his purple eyes focusing on the ground. He rubbed his chin harshly as he hummed the tune to Din's Gratitude Song.

"Okay, I guess I can give you the relic." Dedgie finally said after a prolonged awkward silence with the faint of his humming. Link was taken aback when the Goron suddenly rolled into a ball and with a mighty _humph_, rolled out of the room, a trail of dust in his wake.

"How do you know him?" Link asked Sedge as the two were left standing alone.

"I have been here before on commissions for the Royal Family. Although, I have never been this far in the mountain before," Sedge paused briefly as one of his eyebrows raised, "I've never had to cross that damn bridge either." The two were thrown into a dead silence that filled the room heavily.

"I've been wondering," Link finally spoke, his voice seemingly loud compared to the quiet they just endured. "Where is the Darkness now?" It had been a question that toyed in the back of his mind, one he had been reluctant to ask. Did he really want to know how close the evil threat was?

"Its stronghold is in the Gerudo Desert. The Hyrluean army is trying to form a strategy to advance there. But no matter what they do, it's never enough. The Darkness always seems to be one step ahead."

A faint rumbling sound stopped Link from speaking as a rolling ball of rock roared into the room. Dedgie emerged from a cloud of dust, clenching something in his hands.

"These are the Goron's Relic," the Goron was standing close to Link. The forest man smiled uncomfortably, feeling the hot breath of the Goron.

Dedgie held out his hand towards Link, where two small, gold, half hooped earrings lay. At the end of the hoop set a red gem, and Link could see his face on its surface.

Link slid his blue earring out of his ear, putting it carefully into his pouch. He carefully picked up one of the gold earrings, the gold half hoop cold to the touch. Sedge took the other earring, and moving his dark blonde hair out of the way, quickly slid the earring in. A silence endured as the three stood there, awkwardness filling the air thick and heavy.

"Dedgie," Link finally spoke, his voice strained and uncomfortable. "You seem like a really nice guy and all, but you've got to step back a little." The Goron apologized as he took a few steps back, Link giving him a small smile of approval.

"Thank you Dedgie. We will awaken the temple and return your home to normal." Sedge spoke with a sanguine smile, his hand coming up to rest momentarily on the Goron's shoulder.

"Be careful, the temple isn't safe at all. It's not a place for humans either! Just follow the path behind the throne-it will lead you to the temple." Dedgie motioned to the throne, where a faint glow of auburn emerged.

* * *

Link didn't feel the heat-thanks to the Goron's Relic-but being surrounded by endless lava made his body heat up. They were now at the center of the volcano, deep in its chamber. Lava boiled unceasingly, and in some spots the big fountains of the molten hell sprayed high in the air.

"There, do you see the stone gates?" Sedge finally spoke, his voice nearly drowned out by the roaring of lave fissures and explosions. It wasn't hard to miss the stone wall that rose lofty above the red rocks.

"What now? The gates are sealed shut." Sedge grunted in frustration, furrowing his eyebrows. As Link turned his head to look thoughtfully at Sedge, his eyes latched on to the wheel that rested beyond the frustrated man.

Without saying a word to the Sheikah, Link strutted over to the wheel, peering at it thoughtful. He bent down extending his arms and using all his leg strength to push the wheel. The ground seemed to rumble underfoot, and with a groan the gates opened.

Link stood, his shoulders squared as a gallant half smile spread across his face.

"No wonder the Darkness over took this temple. To open the gate you just spin the wheel. No booby traps or giant rocks falling from the sky."

Link passed Sedge who still stood with his eyebrows raised, a grim look on his face. The Sheikah followed soon after Link, as the forest man bounded into the temple.

The path they were following suddenly forked. Link stared down the glowing paths, one of his eyebrows raised in thought.

"Let's take this one." Link said with brazen assurance. He took off, heading for the path to his left.

"What? How do you know that's the right one?" Sedge protested sternly. He indicated toward the other path that Link neglected. The forest man kept walking as he looked back over his shoulder, a puzzled look about his face.

"I won't know until I reach the end. If it leads to nowhere or to a ferocious monster, I shall sly said monster and track all the way back down this hallway and go down the right one." Before Sedge could speak, Link turned around as he walked backwards, his hands up in an innocent gesture. "It's just Link Logic."

An unnaturally loud scream echoed down the path Link had chosen, piercing his ears and stilling his blood. The forest man covered his ears promptly before turning back to face the tunnel with his sword unsheathed in his hand.

Link felt a soft breeze waft up, his bangs blowing gently across his face before a blazing creature flew over him. Link instinctively ducked, covering his head with both arms. A scream-a high pitched girl scream-caused Link to look up just in time to see the flame creature pluck Sedge off the ground and fly down the opposite tunnel.

Link didn't hesitate as he dug his feet into the soft volcanic ground as he bolted down the tunnel. A febrile heat blasted Link's face as he ran, causing sweat to trickle down his temple. The red rocks of the volcano passed by in a blur as Link whipped by them with speed that even surprised himself.

The blur of the rocks suddenly ended and Link felt the ground under him disappear as vibrant orange lava glowed underneath him. He opened his mouth to yell, but no noise came out. He fell, the hot wind roaring in his ears as he plummeted downward.

Link couldn't help but be memorized by the way the oranges and reds looked as he fell closer to them. Suddenly, something grabbed on to his shoulders and he was pulled out of midair. Red claws latched on to his green tunic. Link strained his neck to look up, his blue eyes meeting with flame.

It was the same creature that had took Sedge. Link waited until he was above solid ground before he reached back, unsheathing his sword. He jerked his wrist up, feeling the sword sink into flesh. The monster shrieked as it let go of Link's tunic, dropping the young man to the ground.

Link hit the ground with a thud. Link rapidly rolled to his side, swiftly crouching on one knee. His cerulean blue eyes searched the air for the creature, the blue orbs suddenly fierce and frigid. The hilt of Link's sword was pressed firmly between the ground and his hand, the blade laying in the volcanic dirt. Link felt the familiar breeze of the creature's wings waft up behind him, and without hesitation he picked up his sword gracefully and whirled around, his sword making an arch around him.

He barely missed the monster, the tip of his blade passing through the flame of the creature. Red beady eyes stared back at Link, a snout that looked like that of a dogs sniffed at the forest man. Link didn't have the slightest indication of what this creature was, but that didn't stay his hand.

He stabbed his sword at the creature, piercing one of its wings. It cried out, swatting one of its claws in Link's direction. The blonde dodge the claw with a sideways roll, dust coating his green tunic as he stood back on his feet just as fast and gracefully as he had rolled.

Almost as soon as he was standing on his feet again, he was charging at the monster with his sword held close at his side. The tip of the blade faced downward, but as he reached closer to the monster and with a flick of his wrist, the blade was pointed up. Link aimed at the monsters chest, and that's precisely were the blade sunk in.

The creature yelled in pain, its claws whipping about frantically as it stumbled closer to the edge of the platform. One more careless step and the creature was sent hurdling downward.

Link stood, his chest heaving and his eyes wide with adrenaline. He felt alive, the heat enveloping him only fueled to the fire that now burned inside him. He gripped the sword tighter, feeling like the blade he held in his hands was apart of him.

"Link, please, help me, the binds are breaking!" A high pitched voice unfamiliar to Link called out, snapping Link from his transfixed state.

Looking frantically around, Link found Sedge tied and hanging from a rusty chain that clung to the rocky ceiling of the temple. All the Sheikah was focused on was the lake of lava that flowed beneath him. Fear swelled up in Sedge's chest before blossoming and spreading throughout his body like wildfire.

Link could see one of the loops on the chain was bending, creating a weak spot for the chain attached to it to unhook itself.

Link studied the platforms around him briefly before bolting. He jumped up the rocky platforms, taking his time on others as he had to place his footing and hoist himself upward. Soon, he was standing on a metal platform that served as an awning for the massive door below.

Link stood far back away from the edge of the awning as possible before he burst into a dead run. A high pitched shrill was released into the air as the unmistakable sound of metal was broke.

Link pushed his tip toes harshly against the ground as each step pushed him further harder. As he reached the end of the awning, he leaped forward with his hands outstretched before him, knocking forcefully into Sedge midair as the Sheikah fell.

The two landed with a thud in a cloud of dust on a lower rocky platform, Link's body pressed firmly into Sedge's. As Link opened his eyes, he was met with a dirty face and violet red eyes that stared back at him in awe.

Sedge's chest heaved with relief as he pushed Link off him and stood, wiping dust off his blue clothes.

"Well, we ended up going down the right tunnel after all." Link's voice was laced with humor as he pointed toward the massive door in front of them. Sedge didn't speak as he shot Link a grim look.

The Sheikah headed for the door without a single word to Link. The forest man found himself appalled by Sedge's attitude as he ran to catch up to the man.

"What? 'No thank you' for saving you?" Link asked bitterly, his blue orbs locked on to Sedge fiercely.

"Thank you." The tone was gruff and curt, but Link took it nonetheless.

Sedge was the first to open the massive stone doors. The room behind them was dark as the midnight itself. Sedge gasped as the cloud of darkness seemed to occupy all the space around them.

Link felt himself lured in, the darkness suddenly wrapping around him. He felt it inch to every corner of his being, the warm embrace it brought seeming to hum around him. But it also brought something else-a sense of loneliness. Link never felt it before, but it left his chest feeling empty and his stomach tight.

"We have to awaken the light within this temple!" Link heard Sedge yell, but his voice was seemingly so far away.

"We're in the Light Chamber-Link, quick, find the Orb of Light!" Link stumbled forward at Sedge's command, his feet feeling heavy and his head light.

He didn't know where he was going, his mind seeming to be unable to process any thoughts as his body pushed forward in the dark. His body stumbled into something, and upon putting his hands before him, they fell upon a smooth, cool, rounded glass surface.

At the touch of the object, the darkness suddenly vanished, but all at once Link was knocked out cold, the cloud of darkness filling the mind of the young hero.

* * *

"Young man," a stern female voice shook Link's thoughts, echoing within his mind. "Young man wake up." A hard shake to Link's shoulders and he opened his eyes.

A woman with snow white hair stood over him, her face emotionless and stern. Her long hair was pulled to the side and braided over her shoulder, the braid ending at her stomach.

She had red ink on her face, three pointed eyelashes atop her left eye, and a teardrop painted below the same eye. Link had seen that symbol before, but the state he was in wouldn't allow him to place it.

"Who are you?" The woman spoke intransigently. Link propped himself up on his elbows, his eyes scanning his surroundings. He was in Kakariko Village, in the middle of the burned houses. _How did I get here? _Was Link's only coherent thought as he scanned the village. There was no darkness that consumed the landscape. The grass was green-just like in the forest. The sky was a vibrant blue, the color Link missed most. He felt heat spread through his body as he realized he had brought light back to the part of this kingdom.

"What is your name?" The woman spoke again, her voice nearing annoyance and snapping Link out of his day dream.

"Link." The forest man spoke up gruffly with a nod of his head. He stood slowly, seeing the woman face to face. Her face was cold as her red eyes stared Link down. Link couldn't tear his eyes away from hers; they were just so _familiar. _

"What are you doing here?" She inquired in her frigid voice.

"I came from Death Mountain. From the Sacred Temple." Link saw the way the violent red eyes widen, and he suddenly regretted telling this stranger anything.

"The Sacred Temple? How…how did you know about such a thing?" Link peered at the woman intently, trying to read her and study her, but he just wasn't the kind to know people just by looking at them.

"Who are you?" Link asked after a moment's silence.

"I am Impa. I am in charge of this kingdom in the place of the king, and until Princess Zelda is found." Suddenly it clicked in Link's mind. Link dropped the smolder on his face, now peering at the lady with respect.

"I suggest you tell me how you knew about the Sacred Temple." Impa said grimly, her eyes locked on Link like a target.

"Sedge, Princess Zelda's guardian. He found me in the forest and brought me to Hyrule. We found the ancient scrolls in the Royal Family library that spoke of the locations of the temples. We found the first, and that's where I came from." Link paused briefly before continuing. "I'm not sure exactly how I got here and I'm not sure where Sedge is."

"Sedge?" Impa spoke the name softly, her voice laced with sorrow.

"Yeah. He's of the Sheikah tr-"

"I know who he is," Impa spoke suddenly, cutting Link off midsentence. "He was my son. But, I do not know what you speak of. He died in the war against the Darkness a year ago."

* * *

**_ Reviews? :)_**


End file.
